I'm thinking of getting a F550 with a 12' Flatbed/hoist to replace my dump trailer. I'd also like to get some heavy duty aluminum equipment ramps and haul my skidloader on the F550 as well. Does anybody else do this? I think I'll be OK weight wise, but I'm not 100% sure. What will a 12' Flatbed weigh?

supercuts

02-17-2007, 09:41 PM

i just got a 2000 f550 12' dump and it should haul a skidsteer no problem but ramps might not

mow king

02-17-2007, 10:22 PM

Assuming you have a mid-size or small skidsteer..it will handle the weight no problem.

Full size..like 95Xt or 277B might be pushing it though.

IHI

02-17-2007, 10:34 PM

Scott1965 - Check your GVWR rating, it should be 17500 for 4x4 and I believe 19k for 2wd. Then go weigh your truck empty. It should weigh somewher around 10.5 k. Now subtract your GVWR from your empty weight and this is the weight you can put on your truck. For example:
Truck GVWR 17500 - Empty weight 10500 = 7000lbs. If your skid is less than 7000 lbs, you should be ok. Just curious, is yours 4x4 or not? Isn't the bed height a tad bit high to safely be driving the skid on?

scott1965

02-17-2007, 11:12 PM

Thanks for the replys.
IHI - Are you saying the truck + flatbed should be around 10.5k? I haven't purchased one yet, but I'm sure it'll be 2wd. I was worried the bed would be too high, but I load it on a deckover trailer now, and this company makes ramps that I think would work. http://www.discountramps.com/bobcat_ramps.htm

Gravel Rat

02-17-2007, 11:44 PM

Keep in mind you can tilt the deck to help loading the machine then drop the deck back down. If your going with wood decking the tires shouldn't slip if your going with smooth aluminum the tires will prolly slide.

justanotherlawnguy

02-18-2007, 01:01 AM

Never seen a skid on the back of a 550. seen plenty of guys towing them in dump trailers though

Swampy

02-18-2007, 04:30 AM

I would strongly advise you not to do that!!!!
You will need a truck with a 33K to 35K GVWR. to put a Skider on. You will end up twisting the frame, breaking the axle, and crushing the springs. F550 is a nice truck but it wouldn't hold up to what your going try to do with it.

Alum. ramps aren't heavy enough for a loading a skid load in the back of truck. And if you did make them out of steel they will be to heavy for you lift by yourself.

If you did do that send me pics.:)

Travel'n Trees

02-18-2007, 06:47 AM

I wouldn't recomend it, first off the you would have a high center of gravity for that light of a truck, second the brakes wouldn't be safe enough. If you do here is a idea put a transmission temp gauge on and a Exhaust tempature gauge on, and monitor them heavily while towing, Mine isn't safe at 52 MPH with O.D. off.

Swampy

02-18-2007, 07:28 AM

Another thing I forgot to add is that if you do get it on the back of the truck just fine and dandy. Wait for that first turn when those U-bolts holding on the bed on the truck shear and you spill your load off the side of the truck.

mow king

02-18-2007, 12:08 PM

I would strongly advise you not to do that!!!!
You will need a truck with a 33K to 35K GVWR. to put a Skider on. You will end up twisting the frame, breaking the axle, and crushing the springs. F550 is a nice truck but it wouldn't hold up to what your going try to do with it.

Alum. ramps aren't heavy enough for a loading a skid load in the back of truck. And if you did make them out of steel they will be to heavy for you lift by yourself.

Although a F550 might be pushing it (I've never tried it). A Class 7 or 8 truck is an unbelievable amount of overkill.

Travel'n Trees

02-18-2007, 12:27 PM

He said to put on a truck not tow. I would hesitate to do any of that with a F-550. I did'nt like hauling to pallets of pavers the truck wasn't designed for it . It has to work to hard to do it. My loader was way to much to pull and stop with and was just John Deere 270. I felt more safe with the escalade or 3/4 ton chevy with these loads. Ford likes overrate all of their products and that is why they are in position they are in.

scott1965

02-18-2007, 12:41 PM

Ok, I ran some numbers:

Skidsteer: 7950 LBS
Flatbed: 1700 LBS
Hoist: 400 LBS

Total: 10050 LBS payload

The charts I found show a 10500 lbs payload limit for the 17.5k GVW, so I'm close but still in legal limits. Does anybody have different numbers than this for payload limits? It's all I could find. Also, on the 19k GVW models, does the payload increase by a full 1.5k or not? I can't find any info on the 19k GVW payload capacity.

Thanks for all the replies, keep 'em coming.

6DoubleDuece

02-18-2007, 12:55 PM

I think your skid is too heavy for you to feel comfortable driving it very far, plus it will be a pain getting it onto the truck.

I have a f-450 with a stellar hook lift. My flatbed weighs 2000 pounds my skid weighs 4900 pounds but you have to remember that I also have the hook lift so that weighs another 1600 pounds. I haul my skid on my truck but it feels kinda tippy and yours is a lot heavier.

thanks
Brenden

Travel'n Trees

02-18-2007, 01:02 PM

Remember Ford inflates their ratings, past reasonable safety factors. Their is no way these trucks are heavier duty than other 3/4 ton to 1 ton trucks or less of other manufactures.

Canon Landscaping

02-18-2007, 01:33 PM

It will haul it easy the ramps might be scary but the truck will have no problems there are tons of f550 roll backs running up and down the road and i see tractors skid steers and all kinds of equipment being hauled on them. We haul skid steers on Isuzu nprs all day long with no problems.

supercuts

02-18-2007, 01:55 PM

how heavy is the machine you want to haul?

scott1965

02-18-2007, 01:57 PM

how heavy is the machine you want to haul?

Almost 8K, with a bucket, full fuel tank, etc.

scott1965

02-18-2007, 02:00 PM

It will haul it easy the ramps might be scary but the truck will have no problems there are tons of f550 roll backs running up and down the road and i see tractors skid steers and all kinds of equipment being hauled on them. We haul skid steers on Isuzu nprs all day long with no problems.

Canon,

Nice setup. How close are you to the max. payload with the skidsteer on your npr?

godzilla

02-18-2007, 04:09 PM

One of my good friends does excavation full time. The job he was on for the bulk of last year required that he bring down his LS180 for a little bit. He has a loading dock around the corner from his yard, so he drove the thing onto the back of his mitsubishi fuso FG from the loading dock. When he got down to the job he unloaded it with some chains and his 160B Volvo. He never said anything about having a problem going down. I think to bring it back up though he used the 10 wheeler and trailer.

AtoZ

02-18-2007, 07:02 PM

My F550 weighs just shy of 12,000 lbs with a 14' dump body. I haul 8,000 to 12,000 lb loads all day long. I would not hesitate to put a 8,000 lb skid loader on the F550. It will be plenty safe as long as it is secured properly....

If you really wanted to play it safe, install Timbren rubber springs to control sway even more... They are about $225 if you install them yourself. I am installing a set of them on my 550 this spring... And also my 250...

Gravel Rat

02-18-2007, 08:23 PM

When youi load the skid on you try keep the machine fairly centered other than that you should be fine.

IHI

02-18-2007, 08:48 PM

Yeah, you should be ok, but cutting it kind of close. I would make sure that the bed/hoist set-up you get with it is done professionaly, or yeah you could sheer the u-bolts off if not careful. Look at the tow tollbacks, they have a totally separate subframe to help strengthen things up. Heck, just buy a used F550 rollback, it'll get your skid around and also be able to tilt/dump landscape material.

The quickest way to find the GVWR is to go the local dealer and look at the tag in the door or call their service department, they should know.

The F450 and 550 is more stout than a regular one ton. My f550 has the same rear-end as the F650, but unfortunately the front axle is a bit lighter. This is how they get the higher GVWR ratings. The brakes on the f450 and f550 are a lot bigger too.

Travel'n Trees

02-18-2007, 10:45 PM

What kind of 1 ton?

tthomass

02-18-2007, 11:33 PM

www.bucksfab.com

neversatisfiedj

02-20-2007, 10:24 AM

Go with F-650 or INTL 4700

hosejockey2002

02-20-2007, 07:06 PM

What kind of 1 ton?

It sounds like you have some sort of irrational bias against Ford. The F450/550 are much heavier duty than 350 series 1 tons. Frames, axles and suspensions are much larger. Park an F350 and F550 cab/chassis next to each other and the differences are obvious. Ford does not overrate their trucks any more or less than any other manufacturer.

Triple L

02-20-2007, 08:53 PM

You will be just fine, That's all Battlefield equipment rental uses around here. I see a skid-steer on thier 550's all the time. Now If its not a good strong setup why would a rental depo that does this all day long be using a 550? They just drop the ramps and away she goes, as far as I know thier trucks are holding up pretty good and me I think having a heavy load on the truck is far easier to pull than having the load behind you and about bending the frame. I'll believe that when I see it. Ford can only rate thier trucks for what they can safely do without a doubt. Go for it

Travel'n Trees

02-21-2007, 12:45 AM

Hosejockey check the facts cars, and trucks. I just believe in honesty, and I don't think FORD should be allowed to be unregulated as much as they are decieving the public. I would do the 4700 or 4900 with the dt466, 444 isn't considered a good selection by most diesel mechanics.

farmboy555

02-21-2007, 06:06 PM

The 550 will handle anything you have with the skidsteer. But trying to load it into a dumpbed of a truck, with a slick steel floor??????? By the time you purchase a set of ramps that you can load it with, I would get a reg. skidsteer trl and be done with it.

mrusk

02-21-2007, 07:52 PM

Buy a trailer. 4-5k will get you a awesome 6 ton trailer.

hosejockey2002

02-22-2007, 11:37 PM

Hosejockey check the facts cars, and trucks. I just believe in honesty, and I don't think FORD should be allowed to be unregulated as much as they are decieving the public. I would do the 4700 or 4900 with the dt466, 444 isn't considered a good selection by most diesel mechanics.

What exactly are you talking about??? The International 4700 and 4900s with the dt466 are a cut above an F550, all you have to do is look at the specs to see that. What do you mean by Ford deceiving (i before e except after c) the public, and being unregulated and all that stuff?:confused: :confused: I'm not a huge Ford fan (my work truck is a Chevy), but you seem to have some irrational bias against Ford, and so far you have yet to back it up with any pertinent, hard data.

Gravel Rat

02-23-2007, 12:46 AM

Just ignore Traveln'Trees he is non stop complaining about Fords. I have been running Ford trucks for years same with the rest of my familly and almost 70% of the people that live in my community. I know many people that have had problems with the Ford 6.0 bought another Ford 6.0 because Ford trucks a built better.

The F-550s are good trucks I have personally loaded 5 tons on the 550 I drove many times. I know a few F-550 mechanic service trucks that belong to the equipment dealers that are loaded to the max and way beyond the gvw.

Swampy

02-23-2007, 05:22 AM

With all that being said. (and reading up on the newer F550's)With what I before, I just want the guy to be successful (and I over did it). But anyways guy a F550 may last you for a couple of years and maybe more but thats really unknown. Personally I'd go a class higher to a F650(pay the extra) just to be safe.

Older Ford 7.3's will run circles around newer 7.3's saying "I'm old school"

Travel'n Trees

02-23-2007, 09:25 PM

I would do a 1 ton to a 5500 GM. You won't regret the extra money spent or the extra hauling capacitiy tha a F550 you roll the dice with.

thebobcatkid86

03-03-2007, 07:37 PM

The guy I bought my bobcat from uses a F350 rollback car hauler about 16ft. long. I remember him telling me that he has several times put 2 not 1, 2 Bobcat 773 skid steers (without bucket b/c of the length) and driven several hundred highway miles with it set up like that and did not have any problems. The diffenence between what most trucks are rated for and what they can do is big.

Travel'n Trees

03-04-2007, 08:48 AM

Doing it and doing it safely and not burning the turbo up at a high rate of speed are two different things, and being able to stop is nice also. Hosejockey when the regulations come down on ford they buy the vehicles back alot of times but it takes alot of money people to make this happen. Case mustang Gt, horse power was overrated no money people heads,cam,exhaust, intake, roller rocker, and mass air swap. Cobra R buy back money talks. Both were totally overated and when put on the dyno, neither came close, the gt didn't even make it after the swap, no buy back, we got together on the Cobra R buyback was swift.

hosejockey2002

03-04-2007, 11:48 AM

Doing it and doing it safely and not burning the turbo up at a high rate of speed are two different things, and being able to stop is nice also. Hosejockey when the regulations come down on ford they buy the vehicles back alot of times but it takes alot of money people to make this happen. Case mustang Gt, horse power was overrated no money people heads,cam,exhaust, intake, roller rocker, and mass air swap. Cobra R buy back money talks. Both were totally overated and when put on the dyno, neither came close, the gt didn't even make it after the swap, no buy back, we got together on the Cobra R buyback was swift.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Can anyone translate this??

Mark Oomkes

05-11-2007, 08:51 AM

With all that being said. (and reading up on the newer F550's)With what I before, I just want the guy to be successful (and I over did it). But anyways guy a F550 may last you for a couple of years and maybe more but thats really unknown. Personally I'd go a class higher to a F650(pay the extra) just to be safe.

Older Ford 7.3's will run circles around newer 7.3's saying "I'm old school"

There is no such thing as a 'new' 7.3. It's a 6.0 and has been since '03. The new '08's are 6.4's. :confused: Unless you are referring to the naturally aspriated 7.3's instead of the turbo 7.3's, but even then it doesn't make sense because a turbo will blow away a naturally aspirated engine every day.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Can anyone translate this??

Yes, he does have an irrational bias against Ford. He finally went away from plowsite after everybody kept giving him crap about every post being anti-Ford. Had like 60-70 posts and there were a few that were actually constructive posts.

As for the truck, in '05 the GVW's on the 4X4 550's increased to 19K because of a heavier front axle. Some of you guys need to get your facts straight before steering a guy wrong. :dizzy: You are going to be pushing it on a 550, but if you keep it under 19K you'll be fine legally and truck wise, assuming you get a decent 6.0. I have 3, one is a POS the other 2 haven't been too bad. I will agree that overall the 7.3 was a better engine.

Hiwire

05-20-2007, 12:02 PM

Our company has 2 550's, the only Fords in the fleet. I have always been a Ford man. Normally I drive the c6500 and c 70 so dont get to drive the 550s much but have driven them enough to know that that size skid steer wont be a problem. I know the way our guys load them and they hold up just fine. Also keep in mind that 550 is a whole different truck than the 450, much heavier built. You cant compare that truck to anyone's 1 ton truck. Why would a skid steer, properly tied down, twist a frame any more than 3 or 4 yrds of soil? Personally I think Id rather tow a trailer but if you want to put that machine in the back of the truck , make sure it's tied down good, keep in mind the higher center of gravity, and dont be worried about if it will do it. Im not up on weights of skid steers but as I remember, there arent many that weigh 8K anyway. Must be a big one.
Ray